Pool-table-ball collecting and returning device



Jan. 19,1926. 1,570,173

l E. F. `ONEll-L Er AL POOL TABLE BALL COLLECTING AND RETURNING DEVICE vFiled Jan. 2, 1925 )N1/EN ro R5 fasi/VE fr a 'NE/A ,sz/ MER 1 HER/v.E/r/fE/R AITOR/Vf) www Patented Jan. 19, 1926.

UNITED STATES l regain PATENT oFElcE.

EUGENE F. ONEILL AND ELMER L. KERN, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

POOL-TABLE-IBALL COLLECTING AND RETURNING DEVICE.

Application filed January 2, 1925. Serial No. 247'.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that we, EUGENE F. ONEILL and ELMER L. KERN, citizens of theUnited States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin andState of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful ImprovementsVin a Pool-Table-Ball Collecting and-Returning Device; and we do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and eX- act description ofthe invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a pool table or game table provided withpockets, and particularly to a device used in connection with such atable for collecting the balls entering the pockets and returning thesame to the top of the table. Pool tables used in public and other poolparlors are much in demand during certain busy hours of the day and ifthe attendant must collect the balls from the various pockets or a rackwhen the game is finished considerable time is lost in which the tableis not in use and is producing no revenue. It is also desirable to havethe balls collected 'automatically and to have means for quicklyreturning a scratch ball to the table in order to speed up the game andsave time and efforton the part of the players.

It is an object of this invention therefore to provide a pool table or agame table having pockets with means 'for collecting the balls enteringthe pockets and means for easily and quickly returning said balls to thetop of the table. I

It is also an object of the invention to provide such a table havingmeans for collecting the balls entering the pockets together with meansfor returning the last ball poclreted singly tothe top of the table sothat a scratch ball may be replaced on the table. l

It is another obj ect of the invention to provide such a table having aseries of conduits communicating with the different pockets and alsocommunicating with a member adapted to receive the balls from saidconduits, together with means co-operating with said member to returnthe balls on top of the table.

It is a still further object of the invention to have a table with sucha member for receiving the balls, as'defined in the preceding paragraph,which member is in the shape of a conduit and has a plunger movabletherethrough, which plunger is connected to a flexible member, togetherwith revoluble means for traversing said'flenible member to move saidplunger.

It is also an object ofthe invention to provide means in connection withthe pool table for receiving the balls entering all of the pockets andtoS return said balls to the top of the table through one of saidpockets.

These vand other objects and advantages of the invention will be fullyset 'forth in the following description made in connection with theaccompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to thesame parts throughout the differentv views, and in which,

Fig. l is a top plan View of the device with a portion thereof brokenaway and `other portions shown in vertical section;

Fig. 2 is a partial view in vertical section of the device takensubstantially on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a partial vView partly in plan and partly in horizont-alsection of a ball receiving conduit and co-operating parts; and

Fig. 4 is a view of a modied form of the plunger used. Y Y.

Referring to the drawings, Aa game'table of the pool table type is showncomprising'the usual flat top orsurface l, the surrounding rails orcushions 2 and the pockets 3 at the corners of the table and also atthey sides thereof intermediate the ends of thc table. The abovementioned parts are parts of the standard pool table and may be of anydesired or standard form. Each of the pockets 3 has a depending casingor chamber 4 and a series of conduits 5 communicate with all but one ofthe pockets 3, which con-- that the conduits 5 incline downwardly.

Another conduit 7 is provided, one rectilinear portion of which extendscentrally below the member 6 and is connected to said member by ashortconduit (in. Said rectilinear portion of the conduit, which isdesignated 7a, extends upwardly to the remaining pocket 3 and isconnected thereto by an upwardly curved member 8, which member 8 'formsa continuation of the usual pocket, said pocket and member having asmooth concave wall extending continuously from the inner wall ofconduit T. y.The conduit 7 extends downward a short distance from themember 6 and then is formed with a semi-circular portion disposedsubstantially in a horizontal plane and said conduit also has arectilinear portion 7b extending downwardly at a right angle to one endof the table where it communicates with the upper end of a pocket orreceptacle 9 di:- posed alongside ol' the table and some distance belowthe top thereof. Conduit 6, throughout its portion 7, and itssemi-circular portion and a considerable length ol the portion 7", has alateral slot Yformed in its inner side through which projects aconnecting member 10 secured to a flexible plunger 11 disposed in saidconduit and also secured to a flexible member or cord 12 disposedimmediately outside of said conduit and slot. A grooved sheave 153 isdisposed substantially in a horizontal plane concentric with thesemi-circular portion ol conduit 7 and supported upon a suitable axlemember secured in a cross piece let orp the table over which sheave thecord 12 travels. Said cord also, at the point alongside ot the portion7b of the conduit 7 runs over a grooved sheave 15 also supported in ahorizontal plane carried on an arile member supported in a cross piece16 ol thel table. lt will be seen that cord 12 also entends alongn sideot and parallel to portion 7L ot conduit 7 and adjacent the end of saidconduit runs over a grooved sheave 17 which, with a similar groovedsheave 18, is supported upon a cross piece 19 ot the table. From thesheave 17, cord 12 passes over a larger sheave or pulley 2O supportedupon a shaft iournaled in one end of the table, which shart is providedat its outer end with an operating crank handle 21. The pulley 2O isdisposed in a vertical plane and has its upper edge in line with the topof pulley 17 and its lower edge in line with pulley 18. Cord 12 passesfrom pulley 2O over pulley 1S and thence to sheave 15, alreadydescribed. The pulley 19 may be adjusted in cross piece 2O to providethe proper tension on cord 12.

In operation, the game, such as pool, will be played on the top ot thetable in the us ial manner and the balls driven into the pockets 3. Theballs entering any ot the pockets will roll down the respective conduit5 or 7a. The balls passing into conduits 5 will be guided into member Gand hence into conq duit 7, and those passing into conduit 7, will,likewise, travel down into the lower portion of conduit 7. The ballswill thus be collected in the curved and lower part of conduit 7, asindicated by the balls 22 .shown in Fig. 3, the balls passing down intoengagement with the front end of plunger 11 and the balls being held ina row in conduit 7 to which row they are successively added. When theballs have all been pocheted and have traveled down into the conduit 7and it is desired to start a new gaine, Jthe attendant will take hisposition at the end of the table adjacent the corner poclret 3 withwhich portion 721 communicates and will rotate the crank handle 21 in aclock-wise direction. This will turn pulley 2O and cause cord 12 totravel in the direction or' the arrow in Fig. 1. The plunger 11 is, asstated, made o' lleible material, such as a solid piece of felt or aconnected series ot relatively movable blocks. 1ifi/Then the cord 12 istraversed, as stated, the plunger will be moved through conduit 7 aroundthe curved portion thereoi" and up through portion 7a pushing the ballsbefore it. lh-e balls will thus be pushed up through portion 7 intomember S and will be guided and detlec ed by the curved surface of saidmember 8 to the top ot the table, the end o't the plunger projectingupwardly through member 8. The operator may place the rack lor receivingthe balls adjacent the pocket 3 so that all of the balls will bedelivered into the rack. Pulley 2O wil be made of such size that it willonly talre approximately a couple ol turns oll the pulley to traversethe plunger to return all or the balls to the top of the table so thatthe operation will be veryv rapidly perliormed. "l` he balls thus beingreturned to the table the operator will turn crank 21 in'acounter-clockwise direction and plunger 11 will be retracted to itsnormal position and the end of the slot in conduit 7. Should a ballescape lroni the rack or operator when the same are returned to the topel the table and roll into one of the pockets 3 or should a ball at anyother 'time roll into one of said pockets when plunger 11 is disposed inthe portion 7 "L et conduit 7, it will be see-n that said ball would bedelivered to conduit 7 in the rear ont the plunger 11. ln this case,when plunger 11 is returned to its normal position, i he ball will bepushed into portion 7b of conduit 7 and will roll by gravity into poclet9 from which it can be removed. Such a movement of the ball, however,will be only accidental and will rarely occur. lt will be noted thatballs will pass into and be arranged in conduit 7 in the order in whichthey are poclreted. It during the game therefore a scratch ball shouldbe pocketed and it is desired immediately to replace the same on thetable, one of the players can turn the cranl; 21 in a clockwisedirection and said ball will be pushed up to the top of the table byplunger 11. The ball will be the lirst to be pushed to the top of thetable as it was the last ball poclreted. A scratch ball can thus bequickly returned singly to the top of the table. lllhen said ball isthus returned the cranli 2l can be again returned to its position by acounterclochwise movement or crank 21 and the remaining balls will rollback with the plunger.

ln Fig. fl, a modified forni of the plunger lll) 11 is shown comprisinga coil or helix 23 of Wire having a fabric or other flexible covering9.1i thereon. Such a plunger, it Will be seen Will be flexible and Willeasily travel in and conform to the shape of the conduit 7 and the1nember8.

From the above description it is seen that applicant has provided asimple and efficient ,device'for collectingr the balls and returning thesame to the table top. The device can be very quickly and easilyoperated and will save much time in re-setting the balls for playing. Asset forth, the device can also be operated kat any time to returnl oneor more balls to the top of the table and this return movement can beperformed in less time than if the player is forced to Walk to somecertain pocket and pick the ball therefrom. The device can be easily andinexpensively mounted on a standard pool table and will not in any Wayinterfere-With the structure of the table or the usual operation of thegame. By the use of the device, the tables can be kept in use a greater'portion of the time and more revenue Will be realized therefrom. Theinvention has been vdemonstrated in an actual device and found to bevery successful and ellicient.

It will, of course, `be understood, that various changes may be made inthe form, details, arrangement and proportions of the parts Withoutdeparting from the scope of applicants invention Which, generallystated, consists in a device capable of carrying out the objects' aboveset forth, such as shown and described and delined in the appendedclaims.

That is claimed is l. ln combination with a game table having pocketsand balls adapted to be driven therein, of means for collecting theballs entering said pockets, and means combined with said last mentionedmeans for returning said balls successively to the top of the table.

2. A pool table comprising pockets having in combination, means forcollecting the balls entering any of said pockets, and means for singlyreturning the last ball poclreted to the top of the table.

3. A pool table comprising pockets having in combination, meansco-operating With all of the pockets for collecting the balls enteringsaid pockets, and means for returning the balls to the top of the tablethrough one of said pockets.

a. A pool or similar gaine table comprising pockets and balls adapted tobe disposed therein, having in combination, means communicating with allof said pockets to qollect the balls entering said pockets, means havinga part movable in said means for returning said balls to the top of thetable, and revoluble means for operating said last mentioned means.

5. In combination with a game table having pockets and balls adapted tobe shot therein having` in combination, a conduit in Which all of theballs entering said pockets are collected, and a plunger moving throughthus receiving all of the articles, and a member movable through saidlast mentioned conduit to return all of said articlesto the top el' thetable.

'7. A game table comprising pockets and balls to be received thereinhaving in combination, means extending to and communicating with all ofsaid pockets to receive the balls entering the same, a conduit forreceiving the balls from said means and a plunger movable through saidconduit and a portion of said means adapted to move the balls and returnthe same to the top of the table.

8. A frame table comprising pockets and balls adapted to be receivedtherein having in combination, a series tending to and communicatingwith all of said pockets save one, a conduit extending to andcommunicating with said one pocket and having communication with all ofthe said other conduits whereby the balls passing into the pockets Willbe received in said last mentioned conduit, a plunger movable throughsaid last mentioned conduit adapted to push said balls therethrough andreturn the same to the top of the table.

, 9. A game table comprising pockets and balls adapted to be receivedtherein having in combination, a member into which all of the ballspassing into said poclrets are collected, a portion of said membercoinn'iunieating with thetop of the table, a plunger passing into saidmember and adapted to push the balls therein through said portion backonto the top of the table.

l0. The structure set forth in claim 9, a flexible member connected tosaid plunger, and means for traversing said flexible member to move saidplunger.

ll. The structure set forth in claim 9, said member and said portionthereof having a slot therein, a member connected to said plunger andextending through said slot, a coid connected to said last mentionedmember, and means for traversing said cord to move said plunger.

l2. A game table comprising pockets and balls adapted to be received insaid pockets having in combination, a member constructed and arranged toreceive balls entering said pockets, a conduit extending from said ofconduits ex- .'z

CII

member to one of said pockets, a plunger movable into said member andthrough said conduit for pushing the balls back onto the table, andmeans for moving said plunger.

13. The structure set forth in claim 12, a cord connected to saidplunger', and means comprising a manually operated pulley for traversingsaid cord to move said plunger` 14;. The structure set forth in claim12, a pocket alongside of said table, and a conduit connected to saidmember and communicating with said pocket.

15. ln combination with a game table having pockets and balls adapted tobe driven therein, of stationary means for colleeting the ballsentering` said pockets, and a movable means associated with saidstationary means for returning said balls to the top of the table.

16. A pool or similar game table comprising pockets and balls adapted tobe disposed therein, having in combination7 a member in which all ballsentering said pockets are collected, said member having a conduit.communicating with the top of the table., said member and conduit havinga lateral slot therein, a flexible member guided to move substantiallyparallel to said member and conduit, means movable through said memberand conduit connected to and moved by said flexible member to move ballsin said member to the top of said table, and means for moving saidflexible member.

17. The structure set forth in claim 16, said last mentioned meanscomprising a pulley over which said llexible member runs, and means forturning said pulley.

18. A game table having pockets and balls adapted to be shot thereinhaving in combination, a conduitin which all of the balls entering' saidpockets are collected, and means including a member movable in saidconduit for returning all of said balls to the table through one of saidpockets.

19. A pool table comprising pockets having in combination, meanscooperating with all of said pockets for collecting the balls enteringsaid pockets, and means including a member engaging a ball in said firstmentioned means and movable to eject all of shot therein having incombination, a conf duit in which all of the balls entering said pocketsare received, said conduit having' an end positioned adjacent the top ofsaid table and means for ejecting all of the balls collected in saidconduit through said end back onto the top of said table.

21. A pool or similar game table comprising pockets and balls adapted tobe disposed therein, having in combination, a member in which all ballsentering said pockets are collected, said member having a conduitcommunicating with the top of the table, means movable through saidconduit in one direction for pushing the balls collected in said membertherethrough, a receptacle carried by said table below said rstmentioned i'iafmbers, and a conduit connecting' said receptacle andmember whereby when said means moves in the opposite direction it willpush a ball in said itirst mentioned conduit or member into said lastmentioned conduit and said ball will pass into said reeeptacle.

E22. A pool oi' similar game table comprising pockets and balls adaptedto be disposed therein, having in combination, a member in which allballs entering said pockets are collected, said member having conduitextending upwardly therefrom, and means for moving` balls collected insaid member through said conduit.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures.

EUGENE F. ONEILTL ELMER L. KERN,

